Egg case



B. A. LANGE May 20, 1924.

EGG CASE Filed NOV. 27, 1922 Patented May 20, 1924.

UNITED STATES BERTHOLD A. LANG-E, OF LOUIS, MISSOURI.

EGG- class;

Application filed November 27, 1922. SerialNo. 603,511.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that LBERTHOLD A. LANGE, a citizen of the United States, residingat the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg Cases, of which the following is a speciflcation.

The transportation of eggs is one of the largest and most difficult phases of com merce. The value of the egg and its fragility combine to make any saving of breakage of extreme economic importance. Many kinds of egg-cases or crates have been tried, but all possess some defect or another. The construction herein shown and described isone of the best for protecting the eggs from breakage, and the specific object of this invention is to make the egg-crate filler less flimsy and to stiffen or stabilize the same. In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in whichlike numbers of reference denote like parts'wherever they occur, 7 1

Figure 1 is atop plan view;

Figure 2 is a side or end elevation;

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are plan views of the blanks used inconstructing'the subject-matter ofFigures 1 and 2; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a modified or alternative form.

The crate filler is' composed of a plurality of interlocking-partitions 1 and arranged at substantially a rightangle to each other and fastened together by any suitable looking means at the points where they pass or join each other. This may be accomplished by slits 3 in partitions 1, allowing partitions 1 to fit down in notches 4 in partitions 2. Otherwise stated, the partitions 1 and 2 are eachslit and turned in opposite directions, so thateach fits inthe slit in the other.

Projections 5 prevent the transmission of shock or jar or slippage to the eggs inserted in the compartments 6, acting as a buffer and preventing telescoping. When the said extensions or projections 5 arebent or: broken the egg breakage is greatly increased. The same should, therefore, preferably be protected by overlapping edges 7 which extend flush with the other edges of the said projections 5. The said flanges or edges 7 may be formed as extensions from any one of the intermediate partitions 1 or from the nextto-the-end partition 1, as shown in Figure 1,

scribed has beenfound to be too flimsy and to require stiffening; 'This is accomplished by the arrangement of the transverse "members 8, which 'a'rearranged at substantially a rightangle to: the flanges 7 and may be attached either to the end or the neXtto-theend partition 2or any other of the partitions 2. The flanges 7 and 8' will be preferably formed integral with; the partitions 1 or 2 from which they spring, but may be otherwise" attached thereto.

hile the flanges 7 stiffen-the cratein one direction they are entirely inadequate for stiffening the same' in a" practical manner, because they do not impart stability by themselves. They. leave the filler in 'a' dis: tinctly collapsible condition,wwhich. is very detrimental in egg shipments; It is-only by the introduction of the flange or stiffener 8 running crosswiserelatively to-the flanges 7 that the filler or case assumes the desired and necessary firmness and stiffness; With only the flanges 7, and under the vicissitudes of transportation, the" eggsv willr'be'i broken by the shifting in shape of the filler. With.

the addition of the flange 8', however, and the bearing .down of weight upon flange 8, considerable rigidity is imparted to the structure as awhole, with the result that it becomes practically immovable.

' Preferably there will be a flange 8-at each end or side of the crate and'preferably'there will be, also, a flange7 at each side or end'of the crate, the said flanges 7 running at substantially a rightangle to the direction of the flange 8.. i

A diaphragm is commonly used between tiersof eggr'crates, butworks loose: and shifts its position. Inthe present device, a dia! phragm is entirely unnecessary.-- I

The stiffening strip or flange Spreferably overlapsv the projections 5 of partition 2, as at 9, and is preferably located on the same face of the crate as flange orflanges 7.-

In the preferred form shown in Figure 1 neither flanges 7 nor flanges 8 extend the entire length of a side or end of the crate, but stop short of so doing a distance equal to the width respectively of flanges 7 and 8, which they respectively abut. as plainly shown in Figure 1. This makes an exion tremely firm egg-case, because the end of each one flange 7 abuts against the inner edge of one of the flanges 8 and one of the ends of each one of the flanges 8 similarly abuts against the inner edge of a flange 7. The inner edges of the flanges 7 and 8 are firmer than their other edges, because their inner edges are attached to the partitions l and 2. In the full construction shown in Figure 1 one end of each flange 7 abuts against the inner side of each of the flanges 8 and likewise one of the ends of each of the flanges 8 abuts against the inner, side of each of the flanges 7, thusbracing flanges 7 and 8 together in a continuous structure.

In the alternative form depicted in Figure 6 both ends of the flanges 8 abutagainst the inner sides of both of the flanges 7.

The blank for forming the partitions 1 is depicted in Figure 3'. The blank for forming the partition 2 with attached flanges 7 and'8 is shown in Figure 5. The blank for forming the ordinary partitions 1 or 2 without'an attached flange is shown in Figure-at.

This egg-crate is adapted to be collapsed for shipment or-reshipment and thus to occupy very little space; but when filled with eggs in its pockets the stiffening strips maintain it in a condition not readily to be collapsed'or caused to yield or bend under ordinary pressure.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many-minor changes may be -made therein without departing i from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:" 7 I 1. An eg -crate filler formed of flexible strips constituting cell walls arranged in two directions and crossing each other and having stiflening strips substantially rectangular in plan View near the edges thereof running in two directions with ends abutting the adjacent side edgesof others.

2. An egg-crate filler formed of flexible strips constituting cell walls arranged in two directions and crossing each other'and having stiffening strips substantially rec tangular in plan view near the edges thereof running in two directions with ends abutting the inner side edges of others.

3. An egg-crate filler comprising strips constituting cell walls arranged at substantially a rightangle to each other, so as toform pockets, and stiffening strips substantially rectangular in plan View running lengthwise with both the said kinds of strips, the end of one strip abutting against the inner side edge of the next strip.

L-An egg-crate fillercomprising strips constituting cell Walls arranged at substantially a rightangle to each other, so as to 'form pockets, and stiffening strips substanlengthwise with both the said kinds of strips, the end of one strip abutting against the inner side edgeof the next strip and the end ofthe said next strip abutting against theinner side edge of a still-further strip and the end of the said last-mentioned strip abutting against the inner side edge of a fourth strip, the opposite end of'which abuts against the inner side edge of the saidfirst- .mentioned strip.

6. A. cellular filler for egg cratesembody ing a vertically disposed partition strip constituting a cell wall, said strip being bent adjacent one of its longitudinal-edges at right angles to form a horizontal reinforcing flange substantially rectangular in plan view, and said flange'having a rectangular cutaway portion at one end for accommodating an end of an adjacent flange.

7. A cellular 'filler for egg-crates including a vertical partition strip constituting a cell 'wall having one longitudinal edge directed at right angles to provide a horizontal reinforcing flange substantially rectangular in plan view, the latter having its opposite ends terminating atpoints spaced inward from the ends of the Vertical portion of the partition strip to accommodate an end of an adjacent flange.

8. A cellular filler ing a vertically disposed partition strip constituting a cell wall, said stripbeing bent adjacent one of its longitudinal edges at right angles .to form a horizontal reinforcing flange, and said flange having a cutaway portion atone end for accommodating an end of an adjacent flange.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

' BER-THOLD A. LANGE.

for egg crates embody- 

